


Heroes and Kings

by Angelike



Series: Heroes and Kings 'verse [1]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies)
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: 100foraslan, Established Relationship, Heroes and Kings 'verse, Leaving? What Leaving?, M/M, Podfic Welcome, Post-The Silver Chair, Same-Sex Marriage, Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-11
Updated: 2008-08-11
Packaged: 2017-10-02 12:53:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelike/pseuds/Angelike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eustace isn't cut out for this business of heroes and kings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heroes and Kings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alchemic_jedi](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=alchemic_jedi).



> This story was written in response to the "Crowns" prompt for the 100foraslan livejournal community.
> 
> For my purposes, Eustace is sixteen. Rilian is twenty-seven. Ridiculously creepy age difference, I know, but bookverse would make Eustace nine and Rilian thirty-one during The Silver Chair, so I think it's more acceptable this way. And, besides, Narnia tends to be more on the medieval side, so the age difference wouldn't matter much. It makes sense when you consider the fact that Will Poulter, who has been cast as Eustace, will be seventeen in 2010, when The Voyage of the Dawn Treader comes out. Which is a little weird actually. He looks younger than fifteen to me...

There's a crown on his head and a knot in his throat.

Staring into the mirror, studying his reflection, he fancies that he looks more like a child trussed up for some extravagant masquerade party than a young man preparing for his first formal appearance as a King of Narnia. Any minute now this dream (nightmare?) will end: Alberta will make her presence known and proceed to whip out her handkerchief to rub at an imagined spot of dirt on his cheek, all the while babbling nonsense he won't really hear; after all, cowardly boys like Eustace Clarence Scrubb don't _really_ become heroes – they don't face off against giants and witches or go plunging into the depths of Hades to rescues princes from enchantments. They don't reign over magical lands from seaside palaces, either.

Such things are better left to his cousins.

“Eustace,” a familiar voice chuckles unexpectedly. Slowly, he turns to face the intruder, scowling at the amusement glimmering in the elder man's eyes. “You're not _frightened_, are you? The boy who bravely sailed to the ends of the world? The boy who rushed head-long into danger to rescue some daft prince from his own stupidity? Afraid? Blasphemy!”

He knows Rilian, his beloved husband of just a few short days, is trying to cheer him up, but the knot in his throat is growing because _it's all wrong!_ “I-I can't do this,” he chokes, turning away to hide his terrified tears. “I'm not really a hero and _I don't know the first thing about ruling!_”

Rilian's cool hands grasping his heated cheeks force him to meet his calming gaze. Gently, but sternly, he speaks: “You're _my_ hero, love, and if you rule this country half as well as you rule my heart, together we will make Narnia great.”


End file.
